Filed Under:Dan Bejar

Following outstanding critical acclaim for Destroyer’s latest album Poison Season, we are happy to share the remix for “Forces From Above” by DJ johnedwardcollins@gmail.com (a member of Destroyer and The New Pornographers).

Read DJ johnedwardcollins@gmail.com’s statement on the remix

DJ johnedwardcollins@gmail.com has heard of dubstep. DJ johnedwardcollins@gmail.com is sickened by the organic, human nature of the album version of “Forces From Above” and of the Poison Season feel in general, when the words are so often about mechanised abuse at a societal level. It makes no sense. However, DJ johnedwardcollins@gmail.com understands malaise and being lost in the simple maze (a couple of squiggly lines) of one’s dreary thoughts. DJ johnedwardcollins@gmail.com knows for a fact that “Forces From Above” is about CAMPS, like internment camps and concentration camps.

DJ johnedwardcollins@gmail.com heard this from Bejar himself, muttered once or twice, in his bunk. DJ johnedwardcollins@gmail.com mixes are not interested in release; they are exercises in tension that go nowhere, much like a life. DJ johnedwardcollins@gmail.com dabbles in queer theory. DJ johnedwardcollins@gmail.com mixes on an iPhone; too bad
DJ johnedwardcollins@gmail.com says, “Destroyer’s sadness is no match for mine. Mine cannot be contained. It never has been able to be.” Extemporaneous night is something DJ johnedwardscollins@gmail.com is working on. DJ johnedwardscollins@gmail.com mourns the undanceability of his mixes, but it won’t always be this way.

DJ johnedwardcollins@gmail.com does not believe techno music to be a suitable medium for songwriters.
DJ johnedwardcollins@gmail.com created this mix as a response to the challenge of making an unmasterable WAV file.

Destroyer’s European tour kicks off late this month, including a now sold out date at Islington Assembly Hall on 30th October.

“…such a striking and involving piece of work. In fact, it’s Bejar’s best. The only bad news for the man himself is that he’s just raised expectations even higher.” – The Guardian **** Album of the Week

“The guy’s sitting down among all the noise around him; it’s a perfect example of the considered, measured chaos and wilful determination evident across Poison Season; a mere nano-second of perfection on an album riddled with such moments… – Record Collector **** Album of the Month

“The prolific Canadian’s latest blaze of glory” – Uncut 8/10

Destroyer’s critically acclaimed upcoming album Poison Season is out is out now via Dead Oceans (Europe) and Merge Records (North America). Mr. Bejar has long displayed a chameleonic instinct for change while maintaining a unified aesthetic (rather than just pinballing between reference points). No two records sound the same, but they’re always uniquely Destroyer. Poison Season merges a casual literary brilliance with intense melodic verve, nimble arrangements, and a certain blue-eyed soul sadness.

Watch the video for “Times Square” below. A video that’s true to Bejar’s ethos, it has a seemingly obtuse take on the what you’d imagine the Times Square is like – bricks and mortar replaced by green spaces; robotic, busy New Yorkers replaced with animals in animation – it’s more Wallace & Gromit than Wall Street.

Earlier today, Destroyer released the video for “Girl in a Sling” off of his upcoming album Poison Season, out August 28 on Dead Oceans Of the video, director David Galloway says:

“Bejar sings a lot about cities and girls and injury, sometimes all at the same time. Sometimes they are the same thing, as surreal novelists would have us believe. Besides, people like to see Dan sing – which he doesn’t do a lot of in this video, but he does do a little bit. We wanted to make a video that dealt with central Destroyer themes: to some, Destroyer is a lech; to some, he is an arsonist; to some, he is a savior. To me, he is the consummate comedian, but he resists that role. So we decided to go the opposite way and make something sad, something tragic, something that fits the new record. The adage “comedy equals tragedy plus time” is attributed to Carol Burnett’s mum. Or it might have been Steve Allen. Either way, I always want Dan to do physical comedy, but he resists. He’s a natural, though. He’s the Pacific Northwest’s Buster Keaton, and I hope one day to share that with the world. One day. For now, though, there’s just this sadness. This poison season.”

Today you can watch Dan Bejar‘s new video for “Bye Bye” via The Quietus off his new EP, Five Spanish Songs. The new EP, a followup to 2011’s Kaputt, comes out December 2nd through Dead Oceans in the UK and Europe and consists of songs written by Spanish musician Antonio Luque of the band Sr. Chinarro. Watch the chicken filled video above or on YouTube here.

Click read more for info on the album including Bejar’s thoughts, info about the UK/EU solo acoustic tour by Bejar in December after the album release, and to hear another track off the album, , El Rito.Read the rest of this entry »

Destroyer fans! Take a listen to a new track off Dan Bejar’s new EP, Five Spanish Songs, called “El Rito”. The new EP, a followup to 2011’s Kaputt, comes out December 2nd through Dead Oceans in the UK and Europe and consists of songs written by Spanish musician Antonio Luque of the band Sr. Chinarro.

Read more for info on the album including Bejar’s thoughts, info about US solo tour dates with Pink Mountaintops, and a UK/EU solo acoustic tour by Bejar in December after the album release.Read the rest of this entry »